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Tv 2020 Thread


NickM

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Due to Covid for several months ive been barely watching nighttime TV and instead turning to youtube. Whilst trawling on there I found an actually pretty good late 70's, early 80's TV series called 'The Sandbaggers'. Its basically the heavy mob of British intelligence, there is a job the other stations cant handle, they send in a couple of ex British soldiers who can do the wet work, or anything else a bit complicated. Its really rather good actually, a bit patchy, but it was written by a guy who may have actually had links to British intelligence, and who died under strange circumstances in the Pacific.

Maybe we should have a retro TV thread?

Edited by Stuart Galbraith
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Due to the massive proliferation of TV series in the last 10-15 years, we could have 10 or 20 TV threads. Its to the point where I see something a little interesting on one the off channels available on my Roku box, and a day later I can't remember the series title nor even the channel that offers it. I probably need to keep a notepad and pen on my coffee table.

 

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Ive never really gotten into Doc Martin, though Clunes is a massively unappreciated comedic genius. Murdoch Mysteries, its great, there is no other way for it. Its got the American proceedural drama narrative, with a very British underlying wry humour and even sarcasm. Its very clever.

New drama about Kim Philby and a friend of his in MI6 is being filmed. Im REALLY looking forward to this one. The casting is superb, and its written by one of the people behind 'Homeland'.

https://www.tatler.com/article/a-spy-among-friends-dominic-west-damian-lewis-britbox-kim-philby-treachery

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19 hours ago, Stuart Galbraith said:

Ive never really gotten into Doc Martin, though Clunes is a massively unappreciated comedic genius. Murdoch Mysteries, its great, there is no other way for it. Its got the American proceedural drama narrative, with a very British underlying wry humour and even sarcasm. Its very clever.

New drama about Kim Philby and a friend of his in MI6 is being filmed. Im REALLY looking forward to this one. The casting is superb, and its written by one of the people behind 'Homeland'.

https://www.tatler.com/article/a-spy-among-friends-dominic-west-damian-lewis-britbox-kim-philby-treachery

What got me interested in Doc Martin was the filming location. To me it was relaxing scenery. Agree about Clunes. 

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14 minutes ago, Rick said:

What got me interested in Doc Martin was the filming location. To me it was relaxing scenery. Agree about Clunes. 

He is very good in a 'laddish' comedy from the 1990's called 'Men Behaving Badly'. Which are all over Youtube if you are interested.

7 hours ago, Harold Jones said:

I've become inexplicably hooked on New Tricks, about a group of retired cops brought back to work on old cold cases. seems like there are 13 series so it will be a while before I need to find something else to watch.  

 

Its good. I dont rate the later ones so much, they kept it going too long. But the first half certainly are very good.

The lead actor in it, Dennis Waterman, played a policeman in a 1970's series called 'The Sweeney'. There are lots of subtle references to it such as 'There is no such thing as a free lunch', followed by 'You werent a cop in the 70's'. :D

 

 

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Believe it or no, he was actually in an episode, back in 2007. It was going that long.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1022790/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_4

 

Funnily enough, Watermans 'Guvnor' in the Sweeney also appeared in a couple of Episodes of Minder, also as a policeman. He likes crossovers it seems.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 11/30/2020 at 6:43 PM, Ssnake said:

All seasons are awesome.

Wait for the episode with the old bankrobber making a run for the airport. It was the most hilarious chase to ever grace the screen of a supposedly serious cop TV show. Right up there with the X-Files' episode "Je Souhaite" (which, I just learned, was written and directed by no other than Vince Gilligan of later "Breaking Bad" fame).

The airport-scene was so adorable, yet so well tied-in. I am deliberatly slow-watching this series.

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2 hours ago, Stargrunt6 said:

So I finally let go of $15 to watch Valley of Tears. 2 eps in and it is outstanding.   Damn shame I can't find it on physical media.  Even worse that I have to settle for watching this on my pc monitor.

I'm enjoying it too.  I wonder though, was the Israeli military really as undisciplined as depicted in Valley of Tears?

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3 hours ago, Allan Wotherspoon said:

I'm enjoying it too.  I wonder though, was the Israeli military really as undisciplined as depicted in Valley of Tears?

You mean the hair and beards? Yeah, they were pretty lax on that.

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On 12/25/2020 at 12:08 AM, Stargrunt6 said:

You mean the hair and beards? Yeah, they were pretty lax on that.

I watched "Above and Beyond" on Hulu. Somewhat educational, it definitely provided a flavor of the IDF in the early days. Undisciplined, but also pretty effective.

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Im wary of judging a TV series based on its first episode, particular as 'The sign of the Rose' was ultimately so disappointing. But with that in mind, watch 'Black Narcissus'. Which is frankly awesome. I thought Gemma Arterton was a good actress, I didnt think she was this damn good.

I know what you are thinking, bunch of Anglican Nuns in a convent, bit boring, right? Well ive not seen the original Powell and Pressburger film (though I love Deborah Kerr), but essentially Nuns set up a school in a Kashmir Palace that may, or may not, be haunted. Added to low oxygen, suppressed sexuality and temptation just around the corner in a handyman, not surprisingly madness and murder errupts.

Its awesome. And maybe im a bad man but Gemma Arterton in a habit is something I could get used to.

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I think that must be a theme of the artwork it was based up. ive not seen it, but clearly looking at the art, its all cold themes.  As if all high tech wondery that for whatever reason, failed to save the world and was left abandoned. Sounds to me from the descriptions here as if its 'Tales of the Unexpected' for the 21st Century.

Ill probably catch it when it comes around, although Ive yet to grasp the netflix nettle. Ill probably have to at some point.

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https://www.google.com/search?q=simonstalenhag&client=ms-android-samsung-gs-rev1&source=android-browser&prmd=ivsn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiR8tKN_fDtAhXBxIsKHZVFAxYQ_AUoAXoECBMQAQ&biw=360&bih=577

 

Simon Stålenhag

Apparently he has written books too. The singing you hear in ep.1 is in Swedish.

I cant say I have heard about Stålenhag before, but I like the pictures.

Series is on Amazon, not Netflix (yet?).

Edited by Stefan Fredriksson
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My brother #4 got some of the "Loop" art books a few years ago on Christmas. Right up his (and my) alley, but I can see where it would be hard to make it work as a TV series (which I haven't seen so far).

Season 2 of "Das Re-Boot" - it's not getting any better plot-wise. After the convoluted storyline of Season 1, up to and including a mutiny on a U-Boat because the commander isn't attacking any ships per his mission orders, we now get "Hunt for Brown November" with some light and balanced sideshows of Holocaust, racial discrimination in the US, American Nazi and IRA sympathizers, and a daring SS plot to win the war in the Atlantic by three people blowing up a couple USN installations with a suitcase full of dynamite.

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Older show, but "Berlin Station" has been on here. It has been lauded for making faithful use of the city's topgraphy, unlike people like Jason Bourne jumping into the Spree at Friedrichstraße Station and emerging on the Kurfürstendamm three Kilometers downstream and one off the river. That's true, though after starting Season 2 I imagine the pre-production dialogue to have been something like this:

"How can we possibly top all the spy show stereotypes from Season 1?"

"I know, let's make the villains some neo-Nazis."

"Totally rad, man!"

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I tried to get into Berlin station, but it didnt hold me for some reason. I guess I struggle with the concept of setting a spy series in Berlin AFTER the cold war.

I wish someone would turn the Max Hertzberg 'Reim' novels into a drama. Its practically crying out for it.

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